Male contraceptive

Abstract

A contraceptive device for blocking a male urethra canal includes an expandable body unit having an elastic member covering a plurality of body segments, a forwardly opening cavity extending within the body unit and having first, second, and third progressively rearwardly spaced cavity regions collectively in the body segments, a cam member having an expansion cam and a forwardly extending shaft being movable in the cavity with the cam sequentially locatable in the first, second, and third regions thereof, for expanding the body unit from a contracted configuration for insertion into a male urethra penis cavity to an expanded configuration 10% or more larger than the contracted position for blocking the urethra when the cam is in the second region, the body contracting to the contracted configuration for permitting withdrawal of the body unit when the cam is in the third region, the cam member being blocked from moving from the second position to the first position and from the third position to the second position for preventing successive uses of the device, and a cam actuator having an expanding position and a contracting position on the shank of the cam member and a handle portion projecting forwardly of the body unit for manipulating the device, the cam member being blocked from the third position when the actuator is in the expanding position, the first position of the cam member being visually distinguishable from the other positions thereof externally of the device.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A contraceptive device for blocking a male urethra canal having a canal opening and a penis cavity, the device comprising: (a) an expandable body unit, a forwardly opening cavity extending longitudinally within the body unit and having first, second, and third cavity regions formed therein, the first region being located forwardly of the third region, the second region being spaced between the first and third regions; and   (b) a cam member having an expansion cam and a forwardly extending shaft, the cam member being movable in the cavity with the cam being sequentially locatable in the first, second, and third regions thereof, the cam cooperating with the cavity for expanding the body unit from a contracted configuration for permitting insertion of the body unit into the penis cavity to an expanded configuration for blocking the urethra when the cam is moved from the first region to the second region, the body contracting to the contracted configuration for permitting withdrawal of the body unit when the cam is moved from the second region to the third region, the cam member being blocked from moving from the second position to the first position and from the third position to the second position for preventing successive uses of the device.   
     
     
       2. The device of claim 1, further comprising a cam actuator connected to the shank of the cam member and having a handle portion projecting forwardly of the body unit for manipulating the device, the actuator being movable relative to the cam member from an expanding position to a contracting position, the cam member being movable from the first postion to the second position, but not the third position, when the actuator is in the expanding position, the cam member being movable from the second position to the third position when the actuator is in the contracting position. 
     
     
       3. The device of claim 2, wherein the actuator has a stop face formed thereon, the stop face contacting the body unit for preventing movement of the cam member to the third position when the cam member is in the second position and the actuator is in the expanding position. 
     
     
       4. The device of claim 2, wherein the shank of the cam member has a forwardly facing shoulder formed thereon, the actuator engaging the shoulder for holding the actuator in the contracting position when the cam member is being moved by the actuator to the third position. 
     
     
       5. The device of claim 2, wherein the first position of the cam member is visually distinguishable from the other positions thereof externally of the device. 
     
     
       6. The device of claim 1, wherein the body unit comprises: (a) a plurality of body segments, the body segments being angularly spaced about the cam member and having respective portions of the cavity formed therein; and   (b) an elastic covering extending about the body segments, the covering biasingly holding the segments in engagement with the cam member and sealingly blocking the urethra when the body unit is located in the penis cavity in the expanded configuration.   
     
     
       7. The device of claim 1, wherein the body unit has an outside diameter D in the contracted condition and an expansion diameter D' in the expanded condition, D' being at least approximately 10 percent larger than D for holding the body unit sealingly engaged with the penis cavity. 
     
     
       8. The device of claim 7, wherein D' is at least approximately 14 percent greater than D. 
     
     
       9. The device of claim 1, wherein the body unit is approximately elliptical in longitudinal cross-section. 
     
     
       10. A contraceptive device for blocking a male urethra canal having a canal opening and a penis cavity, the device comprising: (a) an expandable body unit, a forwardly opening cavity extending longitudinally within the body unit and having first, second, and third cavity regions formed therein, the first region being located forwardly of the third region, the second region being spaced between the first and third regions, the body unit comprising: (i) a plurality of body segments, the body segments being angularly spaced about the cam member and having respective portions of the cavity formed therein; and   (ii) an elastic covering extending about the body segments, the covering biasingly holding the segments in engagement with the cam member and sealingly blocking the urethra when the body unit is located in the penis cavity in the expanded configuration;     (b) a cam member having an expansion cam and a forwardly extending shaft, the cam member being movable in the cavity with the cam being sequentially locatable in the first, second, and third regions thereof, the cam cooperating with the cavity for expanding the body unit from a contracted configuration for permitting insertion of the body unit into the penis cavity to an expanded configuration for blocking the urethra when the cam is moved from the first region to the second region, the body contracting to the contracted configuration for permitting withdrawal of the body unit when the cam is moved from the second region to the third region, the cam member being blocked from moving from the second position to the first position and from the third position to the second position for preventing successive uses of the device;   (c) a cam actuator connected to the shank of the cam member and having a handle portion projecting forwardly of the body unit for manipulating the device, the actuator being movable relative to the cam member from an expanding position to a contracting position, the cam member being movable from the first postion to the second position, but not the third position, when the actuator is in the expanding position, the cam member being movable from the second position to the third position when the actuator is in the contracting position,   wherein the first position of the cam member is visually distinguishable from the other positions thereof externally of the device, and wherein the body unit has an outside diameter D in the contracted condition and an expansion diameter D' in the expanded condition, D' being at least approximately 10 percent larger than D for holding the body unit sealingly engaged with the penis cavity.